Device for setting up work rollers

ABSTRACT

This invention concerns a device used to set up work rollers in the work roller head of the deep rolling tool of a deep rolling unit designed to deep-roll grooves or radii that limit the journals of crankshafts in the axial direction. A guide roller for the work rollers is supported inside the work roller head and rotates freely about a rotation axis. Support and lateral guidance of the work rollers are provided by roller cages. The roller cages are attached to the housing of the work roller head by means of L-shaped brackets. The device is equipped with a receptacle for the work roller head corresponding to the receptacle in the deep rolling unit. A primary V-block contacting the circumference of the guide roller, as well as a secondary double-V-block contacting the free circumference of the work rollers from the outside, all cooperate with a measuring device with the help of which the position of the work rollers within the work roller head can be adjusted and checked.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention concerns a device for setting up work rollers that are guided and freely rotating in the work roller head of the deep rolling tool in a deep rolling unit designed for the deep rolling of grooves or radii that limit the journals of crankshafts in the axial direction, having a guide roller that is supported and freely rotating about a rotation axis in the work roller head for support of the work rollers in a direction approximately perpendicular to the rotation axis of the guide roller, and roller cages for support and guidance of the work rollers from two sides with outwardly tilted axes as well as L-shaped brackets that are adjustable and lockable on the work roller head, for locking the roller cages on the work roller head.

[0002] The work roller head is part of a deep rolling tool in a deep rolling unit, several of which are provided within one deep rolling machine. Deep rolling tools are used for the deep-rolling of grooves or radii designed to laterally limit the main or rod journals of a crankshaft in the axial direction. Conventionally, each journal is limited by one groove or radius on either side. There are however crankshafts which in the axial direction have two crank pin journals arranged directly next to one another. Each of the so-called split pin journals is limited by one groove or radius only on one side.

[0003] The work rollers, having approximately the diameter of one Euro coin, are guided and freely rotating in the work roller head. Applying a force, the work rollers are pressed into the grooves or radii of the crankshaft by the deep rolling unit as the crankshaft turns. In this process the work rollers perform a localized compacting of the crankshaft between each journal and its adjacent crank web. The deep rolling force, applied approximately perpendicular to the direction of the crankshaft longitudinal axis, equivalent to the rotational axis of the crankshaft, is transmitted to the work rollers from the work roller head via the guide roller. The guide roller is supported and rotates freely about a rotation axis within the work roller head. On either side of the working direction the work rollers are guided in so-called roller cages. This guidance has a slight play of approximately 0.2 mm. The roller cages are made of a high-strength material which offers favorable sliding characteristics. An appropriate material is, e.g., bronze or also any steel whose surface has been coated.

[0004] Within the work roller head the work rollers are outwardly tilted at an angle. Using their free circumferential surface, that is to say, those sections of the circumference that are neither supported by the guide roller nor covered by the roller cages, the work rollers engage in the grooves or radii of the crankshaft. Due to the rotation of the crankshaft in process, the work rollers are also rotated and, in turn, drag the guide roller along. The roller cages as such are mounted to the housing of the work roller head by so-called L-shaped brackets. Relative to the housing of the work roller head the L-shaped brackets are adjustable and lockable. When the specified position of the work rollers within the work roller head has been reached, the L-shaped brackets are locked in place on the work roller head.

[0005] Setting up the specified position for the work rollers on the work roller head, requires a high degree of knowledge and skill of the machine setup man. Essentially it depends on his know-how whether or not the specified life of the work roller tool can be achieved.

[0006] Work roller heads of the type described above have been known, e.g., from the publications EP 0 839 607 A1 and EP 0 661 137 B1. The latter describes a deep rolling tool for the processing of split pin crankshafts. In this tool it can be noticed that every work roller head has only one single work roller each. In this example two work roller heads laterally support one another in the axial direction using a bearing (ref. EP 0661 137 B1, FIG. 7). The device represented here is also suitable for the setup of such tools.

[0007] The deep rolling forces being more and more increased in the deep rolling operation, require a more and more improved setup of the work rollers in the work roller head. Originally a marking on the housing of the work roller head was provided for visual positioning of the work rollers. Later on a setting gage was introduced. Even when using a setting gage the angular position of the work rollers must initially be held manually, approximately in accordance with the work position in the deep rolling unit while, at the same time, the L-shaped brackets for the deep rolling roller cages are advanced and locked in place. The skill and experience required will differ from one machine setup man to another, which may make the setup of deep rolling tools a tedious procedure. In this respect the applicant is not aware of any state of the art that would allow the setup of deep rolling tools with little effort and great precision.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] This leads to the object of this invention, i.e., to develop a device with which the position of the work rollers in the work roller head can be locked in place, positively and appropriately for its application, and where the setup process is no longer dependent on the skills of the machine setup man, but occurs systematically. Besides, the setup is to be completed with great precision, and reproducible.

[0009] According to this invention the objective is accomplished by a device having the features described in patent claim 1.

[0010] With the help of the device, setting up the work rollers in the work roller head is possible without first removing one of the two L-shaped roller brackets and the associated roller cage. The position of the work rollers may be locked in place with the work roller head ready for operation. The setup device is independent of the diameter of the work rollers. Previously this was not possible and it presented a cause for error since a different setup gage had to be used for each work roller diameter. Finally the deep rolling tool may be checked to determine whether or not the subsequent installation into the deep rolling device will be easy.

[0011] In the following the invention will be described in more detail using an embodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] Other advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

[0013] The representation shows to scale:

[0014]FIG. 1 a setup device in the lateral view.

[0015]FIG. 2 the setup device in front view.

[0016]FIG. 3 the setup device in top view.

[0017]FIG. 4 a partial view of FIG. 1 according to the partial view “Z” using an enlarged scale.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

[0018] The device 1 is used to set up work rollers 2 in the work roller head 3. The work roller head 3 is part of a deep rolling tool in a deep rolling unit for the deep rolling of grooves or radii that limit the journals of crankshafts laterally in the axial direction. A guide roller 4 is supported and freely rotating about a rotation axis 5 in the work roller head 3. The guide roller 4 serves to support the work rollers 2 in a direction 6 which is approximately perpendicular to the rotation axis 5 of the guide roller 4. Roller cages 7 are provided for support and guidance of the work rollers 2 on two sides 8, 9 (FIG. 4). The work rollers 2 are supported with free rotation by the roller cages 7, having outwardly tilted axes 10, 11 (FIG. 2). The lateral play between a work roller 2 and the roller cages 7 is approximately 0.2 mm.

[0019] The work roller head 3 is provided with adjustable and lockable, L-shaped brackets 12, designed to lock the roller cages 7 in place on the work roller head 3. The receptacle 13 of the device 1 for the work roller head 3 is so designed that the work roller head 3 can be held in accordance with its retention in the deep rolling unit (not shown). The device 1 includes a primary V-block 14 contacting the circumference 15 of the guide roller 4, and a secondary double-V-block 16 contacting the circumference 17 of the work rollers 2 from the outside. Finally a measuring instrument 18 is provided for checking a specified position of the work rollers 2 relative to the double-V-block 16.

[0020] The primary V-block 14 is located at the end 20 of a holding device 19 which engages into the housing 22 of the work roller head 3 from a face side 21. Using the holding device 19 the guide roller 4 is locked into place during setup of the work rollers 2. It is quite common to adjust the work rollers 2 with a slight off-center setting relative to the rotation axis 5 of the guide roller 4. This offset is between 0.2 and 0.4 mm.

[0021] The double-V-block 16 is also located at the end 24 of a holding device 23 which is in line with the rotation axis 5 of the guide roller 4 and has a distance 25 from a side 26 of the housing 22 of the work roller head 3. The distance 25 of the holding device 23 is adjustable in the direction of the rotation axis 5 of the guide roller 4.

[0022] In accordance with the angle of the work roller 2 the double-V-block 16 is also tilted at the angle 27 of the outwardly tilted axis 28 of the work roller 2. Using a dial 33 the angle 27 may be adjusted.

[0023] The holding device 23 also has a lateral distance 29 from the line of the rotation axis 5 of the guide roller 4. This distance 29 is variable and settable between 0.2 and 0.4 mm. In most cases the setting of the distance 29 is so selected that it trails the rotational direction of the rotating crankshaft (not shown).

[0024] The primary V-block 14 is located at the end 20 of a holding device 19 which is part of the receptacle 13 of the device 1. In the holding device 19 the primary V-block 14 is guided and may be longitudinally moved toward the guide roller 4. Using an opening, the end 20 of the holding device 19 engages in the facing side 21 of the housing 22 of the work roller head 3.

[0025] The setup of each work roller 2 of a work roller head 3 requires a separate double-V-block 16. In a holding device 23 of the receptacle 13 the double-V-block 16 is guided and may be longitudinally moved toward the work roller 2. The holding device 23 may be adjusted at an angle 27 which corresponds to the angle of the work rollers 2 in the work roller head 3. The angle 27 is set using appropriate hinges 34. A recess 32 is provided on the underside of the holding device 23, in which the contact point 31 of a dial indicator 30 is engaged.

[0026] Any displacement of the roller cages 7 relative to the housing 22 of the work roller head 3, results in a displacement of the recess 32 relative to the contact point 31 of the dial indicator 30. The specified setting of the work rollers 2 relative to the circumference 15 of the guide roller 4, as well as with respect to its angle 27, is considered as attained when the reading of the dial indicator 30 is at a minimum. As soon as this position is reached, the L-shaped brackets 12 on the housing 22 of the work roller head 3, are screwed down. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A device for setting up work rollers that are guided and freely rotatable in the work roller head of the deep rolling tool in a deep rolling unit, designed for the deep rolling of grooves or radii which limit the journals of crankshafts in an axial direction, having a guide roller supported and freely rotatable about a rotation axis in the work roller head for support of the work rollers in a direction approximately perpendicular to the rotation axis of the guide roller and roller cages for the support and guidance of the work rollers from two sides with outwardly tilted axes as well as L-shaped brackets that are adjustable and lockable on the work roller head, for locking the roller cages to the work roller head, characterized in that the device (1) includes: a receptacle (13) for the work roller head (3) corresponding to the receptacle of the deep rolling unit, a primary V-block (14) contacting the circumference (15) of the guide roller (4), a secondary double-V-block (16) externally contacting the free circumference (17) of the work rollers (2), and a measuring instrument (18) for checking of a specified position of the work rollers (2) relative to the double-V-block (16).
 2. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the primary V-block (14) is provided at the end (20) of a holding device (19) which engages in the housing (22) of the work roller head (3) from one of the face sides (21).
 3. A device according to claim 2, characterized in that the double-V-block (16) is provided at the end (24) of a holding device (23) which is in line with the rotation axis (5) of the guide roller (4) at a distance (25) in front of one side (26) of the housing (22) of the work roller head (3).
 4. A device according to claim 3, characterized in that the distance (25) of the holding device (23) is adjustable in the direction of the rotation axis (5) of the guide roller (4).
 5. A device according to claim 3, characterized in that the double-V-block (16) is tilted at the angle (27) of the outwardly tilted axis (28) of the work roller (2).
 6. A device according to claim 5, characterized in that the angle (27) is adjustable.
 7. A device according to claim 4, characterized in that the holding device (23) is adjustable for a lateral distance (29) from the line of the rotation axis (5) of the guide roller (4).
 8. A device according to claim 7, characterized in that the primary V-block (14) is supported with longitudinal movement toward the guide roller (4).
 9. A device according to claim 8, characterized in that the double-V-block (16) is supported with longitudinal movement toward the work roller (2).
 10. A device according to claim 9, characterized in that for a measuring instrument (18) a dial indicator (30) is provided, whose contact point (31) engages in a recess (32) of the holding device (23) for the double-V-block (16).
 11. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the primary V-block (14) is supported with longitudinal movement toward the guide roller (4).
 12. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the double-V-block (16) is supported with longitudinal movement toward the work roller (2).
 13. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the double-V-block (16) is provided at the end (24) of a holding device (23) which is in line with the rotation axis (5) of the guide roller (4) at a distance (25) in front of one side (26) of the housing (22) of the work roller head (3).
 14. A device for setting up at least one work roller that is guided and freely rotatable in the work roller head of a deep rolling tool in a deep rolling unit, having a guide roller supported and freely rotatable about an axis in the work roller head for support of the work rollers in a direction approximately perpendicular to the axis of the guide roller and at least one roller cage for the support and guidance of the at least one work roller from two sides with outwardly tilted axes, characterized in that the device includes: a secondary block surface for contacting a circumference of the work roller, and a measuring instrument for checking a specified position of the at least one work roller relative to the secondary block surface.
 15. The device of claim 14 further including a primary block surface for contacting a circumference of the guide roller.
 16. The device of claim 15 wherein the primary block surface is a V-surface on a primary V-block.
 17. The device of claim 16 wherein the secondary block surface is a double-V-surface on a secondary double-V-block. 